Vehicle interior panel having compartment and swing door

ABSTRACT

The present invention involves a vehicle interior panel. The interior panel comprises a panel body having a face defining a compartment having an opening at the face and defining a door-receiving space underlying the compartment. The interior panel further comprises a swing door including a door panel and an arm extending from the door panel to an end, wherein the end is remote from the door panel and has a pivot point adjacent the end. The door panel is configured to close the opening and pivotally move between a closed position wherein the door panel closes the opening and an open position wherein the door panel is received in the door-receiving space to permit access to the compartment. The interior panel further comprises a pivot connection pivotally connecting the arm at the pivot point to the panel body to define a pivot access providing pivotal movement of the door panel between the closed and open positions. The arm is connected to the panel body at a connection point spaced apart from the face. The swing door is pivotally moveable about the pivot access to swing between the closed position and the open position in the door-receiving space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle interior panel havinga compartment and a swing door to close and open the compartment.

[0002] A vehicle front interior panel having a compartment, also knownas a “glove box,” can be found in most vehicles today. Typically locatedadjacent a front passenger seat in the vehicle, the glove box of thefront interior panel has a door panel which pivots between closed andopen positions. From the closed position to the open position, the doorpanel is generally required to move in the direction toward thepassenger seat. In many situations, the door panel in the open positionmay compromise space occupied by an occupant or may even contact theoccupant's body situated in the passenger seat. The legs or the body ofthe occupant may contact the door panel when moving from the closed tothe open position. Thus, improvements may be desirable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention generally provides a vehicle interior panelhaving a compartment and a swing door which swings from a closedposition to an open position without compromising the space of apassenger. The present invention includes the vehicle interior panelincluding a panel body having the compartment and an opening at a faceof the panel body for access to the compartment. The swing door isengageable with the face of the panel body to close the opening. Theswing door is configured to pivotally move between a closed position toclose the opening and an open position wherein the door panel isreceived in the door-receiving space defined by the panel bodyunderlying the compartment, permitting access to the compartment withoutcompromising the space of a passenger. Additionally, the presentinvention allows the compartment to be accessible in the open positionwithout contacting the passenger's body. Thus, the present inventionreduces an inconvenience of obstructing the path of a compartment doorwhen it moves in the open position or an inconvenience of contacting thepassenger's body when the door is being opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is a perspective environmental view of a vehicle interiorpanel including an interior panel compartment assembly in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention;

[0005]FIG. 2 is a front view of the interior panel compartment assemblyof the vehicle interior panel shown in FIG. 1;

[0006]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional side view of the compartment assemblyin FIG. 2 taken along lines 3-3;

[0007]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the interior panel compartmentassembly shown in FIG. 2 in accordance with the present invention;

[0008]FIG. 5 is a front view of another embodiment of the compartmentassembly in accordance with the present invention; and

[0009]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the compartment assemblyin FIG. 5 taken along lines 5-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010]FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle interior panel 10 of vehicle 11. Asshown, interior panel 10 generally includes panel body 13 and swing door16. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, panel body 13 includes a face 22 andaperture 27 at the face. Panel body 13 has compartment assembly 23attached thereto and having an opening 26 which is aligned with aperture27 at face 22. Face 22 has top and bottom ends 41, 43. Panel body 13defines a door-receiving space 14 which underlies compartment 23. Panelbody 13 also defines arm-receiving slots 15 in adjacent lateralrelationship with compartment 23. As shown in FIG. 2, compartment 23includes top and bottom walls 30, 33 integrally connected by back wall36 and first and second side walls 38, 40 defining face 22 havingopening 26 for access to the compartment 23.

[0011] Swing door 16 includes door panel 46 having outer surface 48 andinner surface 50 which engages with face 22 to close opening 26 in aclosed position 18. Door panel 46 further includes upper and lower ends53, 56 which are engageable with top and bottom ends 41, 43 of face 22,respectively. Door panel 46 further includes first and second lateralsides 58, 60, as shown, which engage with face 22 in the closed position18.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, swing door 16 further includes firstand second arms 63, 73 which are connected to inner surface 50 of doorpanel 46 adjacent lateral sides 58, 60 and extend therefrom. In thisembodiment, arms 63, 73 extend substantially orthogonal from door panel46 to respective ends 66, 76. However, the arms may extend from the doorpanel to the respective ends in any other suitable manner. First arm 63extends from first lateral side 58 to first end 66, and second arm 73extends from second lateral side 60 to second end 76. Each of the ends66, 76 are remote or spaced apart from door panel 46 and have a pivotpoint thereon. First pivot point 70 is defined on first end 66, andsecond pivot point 80 is defined on second end 76. Door panel 46 isconfigured to pivotally move between the closed position 18 wherein thedoor panel 46 closes opening 26 and an open position 20 wherein doorpanel 46 is received in the door-receiving space 14 and arms 63, 73 arereceived in arm-receiving slots 15. This permits access to thecompartment 23 without compromising space occupied by an occupant of thevehicle. As shown, lateral sides 58, 60 laterally extend beyond the arms63, 73 to cover slots 15.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, interior panel 10 further includesfirst and second connection members or pivot connections 83, 90, e.g.,pins, pivotally connecting the ends 66, 76 of the arms to panel body 13at respective pivot points 70, 80. This defines a pivot axis 86 aboutwhich arms 63, 73 and door panel 46 pivotally move between closed andopen positions 18, 20. In this embodiment, connection members 83, 90 arepins connecting ends 66, 76 to panel body 13. However, it is understoodthat pivot connections 83, 90 may include any other suitable means ofconnecting the ends to the panel body, e. g., bolts, screws, or clips.

[0014] As shown, first connection member 83 connects first end 66 topanel body 13 at first connection point 88 which is located on panelbody 13 along general pivot axis 86 remote or spaced apart from face 22.Second connection member 90 connects second end 76 to panel body 13 atsecond connection point 92 which is located on body 13 along pivot axis86. This allows first and second arms 63, 73 and door panel 46 to bepivotally moveable about general pivot axis 86 between the closed andopen positions 18, 20. As shown, arms 63, 73 are connected to panel body13 at connection points 88, 92 which are spaced apart from face 22 anddoor-receiving space 14. This configuration allows swing door 16 to bepivotally moveable about pivot axis 86 and to swing away from the closedposition 18 to the open position 20 relative to an occupant situated ina seat, e.g., the front passenger seat, of the vehicle. As shown, whenswing door swings away from the closed position to the open position 20,arms 63, 73 are received in the arm-receiving slots 15 and door panel 46is received in the door-receiving space 14. This provides an occupantwith access to compartment 23 without compromising space occupied by theoccupant.

[0015] In this embodiment, upper end 53 of door panel 46 has a latch 94.Top end 41 of face 22 has a latch-receiving member 96 which receives thelatch 94 to retain door panel 46 in the closed position 18. As shown inFIG. 3, in the open position 20, door panel 46 swings below body panel13 away from an occupant's space so that door panel 46 is completelyreceived is door-receiving space 14.

[0016] As shown, each of the connection members 83, 90 is disposedremotely from door panel 46 and bottom end 43 of face 22. The distancebetween the members 83, 90 and door panel 46 is greater than thedistance between the members 83, 90 and the bottom end 43 of face 22.This allows a clearance for the swing door 16 to swing between theclosed and open positions when latch 94 is released from latch-receivingmember 96. In this embodiment, the distance between members 83, 90 anddoor panel 46 is slightly greater than the distance between members 83,90 and bottom end 43. This allows door panel 46 to hug bottom end 43 asswing door moves between the open and closed positions.

[0017] As shown in this embodiment, door-receiving space 14 underliescompartment. However, it is understood that the door-receiving space mayoverlie the compartment without following beyond the scope or spirit ofthe present invention.

[0018]FIGS. 5 and 6 depict another embodiment of the present invention.As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, vehicle interior panel 110 has similarmembers as panel 10 described above. For example, panel body 113, face122, opening 126, and door panel 146 of interior panel 110 are similarto body 13, face 22, opening 26, and door panel 46, respectively, ofinterior panel 10. In this embodiment, arms 163, 173 extend from doorpanel 146 to respective ends 166, 176 which pivotally attach to sidewalls 138, 140, respectively, within compartment 123. As shown, arms163, 173 are configured to extend through opening 126 into compartment123. Bottom wall 133 is slotted to allow arms 163, 173 to swingtherethrough when door panel is moved between the closed and openpositions. This embodiment allows arms 163, 173 to be hidden or storedwithin compartment 123 in the closed position and eliminates spaceotherwise required for arm-receiving slots.

[0019] It is to be understood that the door panel may run or ride on atrack attached thereto and to the body panel, thereby eliminating theneed for the arms extending from the door panel. The track may beattached along the body panel and extend to the door-receiving space.The door may then slide along the track between the closed and openpositions.

[0020] While the present invention has been described in terms ofpreferred embodiments, it will be understood, of course, that theinvention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made tothose skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoingteachings.

1. An interior panel compartment assembly of a vehicle interior panel,the interior panel having a panel body to which the assembly attaches,the panel compartment assembly comprising: a compartment having top andbottom walls integrally connected by a back wall and a pair of sidewalls defining a face having an opening for access to the compartment,the compartment and the interior panel further defining a door-receivingspace adjacent the compartment; a door panel having an outer surface andan inner surface engageable with the face to close the opening in aclosed position, the door panel being pivotally moveable between theclosed position and an open position wherein the door panel is receivedin the door-receiving space to permit access to the compartment; apivotable arm attached to the inner surface of the door and extendingtherefrom pivotally connecting to the vehicle interior panel to define apivot axis spaced apart from the face and providing the door panel andthe arm pivotal movement from the closed position to the open positionwithout moving toward an occupant of the vehicle.
 2. The assembly ofclaim 1 wherein the arm extends substantially orthogonal from the doorpanel to the end.
 3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the door panelincludes first and second lateral sides and wherein the end is a firstend and the arm is a first arm extending from the first lateral side ofthe door panel to the first end, the swing door further including asecond arm extending from the second lateral side of the door panel to asecond end remote from the door panel, the second end having a secondpivot point adjacent the second end.
 4. The assembly of claim 1 whereinthe panel body further defines an arm-receiving slot in adjacent lateralrelationship with the compartment to receive the arm when the swing doorswings between the closed and open positions.
 5. The assembly of claim 1wherein the door panel has upper and lower ends and the face of thepanel body has top and bottom ends, respectively, engageable therewith,the upper end of the door panel having a latch, the top end of the facehaving a latch-receiving mechanism to receive the latch and retain thedoor panel in the closed position.
 6. The assembly of claim 5 whereinthe upper end of the door panel in the open position is spaced behindthe face of the body panel.
 7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the upperend of the door panel in the open position is positioned in front of theface of the body panel.
 8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein theconnection point is spaced apart from the face and the door receivingspace.
 9. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the connection member isspaced apart from the door panel and the bottom end of the face, whereinthe space between the connection member and the door panel is greaterthan the space between the connection member and the bottom end of theface.
 10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the connection member is aconnecting pin.
 11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the door-receivingspace underlies the compartment.
 12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein thedoor-receiving space overlies the compartment.
 13. A vehicle interiorpanel of a vehicle, the interior panel comprising: a panel body having aface and an aperture, the panel body further including an attachedcompartment having an opening aligned with the aperture at the face, thepanel body further defining a door-receiving space underlying thecompartment; a swing door including a door panel and an arm extendingfrom the door panel to an end, the end being remote from the door paneland having a pivot point at the end, the door panel being configured toclose the opening and pivotally move between a closed position whereinthe door panel closes the opening and an open position wherein the doorpanel is received in the door-receiving space to permit access to thecompartment; and a pivot connection pivotally connecting the arm at thepivot point to the panel body to define a pivot axis spaced apart fromthe face providing pivotal movement of the door panel between the closedand open positions, the arm being connected to the panel body at aconnection point spaced apart from the face; the swing door beingpivotally moveable about the pivot axis to swing from the closedposition and the open position in the door-receiving space withoutmoving toward an occupant of the vehicle.
 14. The interior panel ofclaim 13 wherein the arm extends substantially orthogonal from the doorpanel to the end.
 15. The interior panel of claim 13 wherein the doorpanel includes first and second lateral sides and wherein the end is afirst end and the arm is a first arm extending from the first lateralside of the door panel to the first end, the swing door furtherincluding a second arm extending from the second lateral side of thedoor panel to a second end remote from the door panel, the second endhaving a second pivot point adjacent the second end.
 16. The interiorpanel of claim 13 further comprising an arm-receiving slot in adjacentlateral relationship with the compartment to receive the arm when theswing door swings between the closed and open positions.
 17. Theinterior panel of claim 13 wherein the door panel has upper and lowerends and the face of the panel body has top and bottom ends,respectively, engageable therewith, the upper end of the door panelhaving a latch, the top end of the face having a latch-receivingmechanism to receive the latch and retain the door panel in the closedposition.
 18. The interior panel of claim 13 wherein the door-receivingspace underlies the compartment.
 19. The interior panel of claim 13wherein the door-receiving space overlies the compartment.
 20. Theinterior panel of claim 13 wherein the connection point is spaced apartfrom the face and the door receiving space.
 21. The interior panel ofclaim 17 wherein the pivot connection is spaced apart from the doorpanel and the bottom end of the face, wherein the space between thepivot connection and the door panel is greater than the space betweenthe pivot connection and the bottom end of the face.
 22. The interiorpanel of claim 13 wherein the pivot connection is a connecting pin. 23.A vehicle interior panel of a vehicle compartment, the interior panelcomprising: a panel body having a face and an aperture at the face; aretaining compartment having an opening aligned with the aperture, theretaining compartment including top and bottom walls adjacent which adoor-receiving space is defined by the interior panel; a door panelhaving an outer surface facing the vehicle compartment and an innersurface engageable with the face in a closed position; a pivotable armattached to the inner surface of the door panel and extending therefromto an end remote from the door panel; a connection member disposed onthe panel body and spaced apart from the face, the end of the pivotablearm being attached to the connection member to define a pivot axis aboutwhich the arm pivots so that the door panel pivotally moves about thepivot axis between the closed position and an open position in thedoor-receiving space without moving toward an occupant of the vehicle.24. The interior panel of claim 23 wherein the arm extends substantiallyorthogonal from the door panel to the end.
 25. The interior panel ofclaim 23 wherein the door panel includes first and second lateral sidesand wherein the end is a first end and the arm is a first arm extendingfrom the first lateral side of the door panel to the first end, theswing door further including a second arm extending from the secondlateral side of the door panel to a second end remote from the doorpanel, the second end having a second pivot point adjacent the secondend.
 26. The interior panel of claim 23 wherein the panel body furtherdefines an arm-receiving slot in adjacent lateral relationship with thecompartment to receive the arm when the swing door swings between theclosed and open positions.
 27. The interior panel of claim 23 whereinthe door panel has upper and lower ends and the face of the panel bodyhas top and bottom ends, respectively, engageable therewith, the upperend of the door panel having a latch, the top end of the face having alatch-receiving mechanism to receive the latch and retain the door panelin the closed position.
 28. The interior panel of claim 27 wherein theupper end of the door panel in the open position is spaced behind theface of the body panel.
 29. The interior panel of claim 27 wherein theupper end of the door panel in the open position is positioned in frontof the face of the body panel.
 30. The interior panel of claim 23wherein the connection point is spaced apart from the face and the doorreceiving space.
 31. The interior panel of claim 27 wherein theconnection member is spaced apart from the door panel and the bottom endof the face, wherein the space between the connection member and thedoor panel is greater than the space between the connection member andthe bottom end of the face.
 32. The interior panel of claim 23 whereinthe connection member is a connecting pin.